I-44 Shut Down In Lawton Due To Gas Line Rupture

Parts of Interstate 44 are shut down in Lawton as crews work to repair a gas line rupture Monday afternoon.

According to Lawton police, at about 10:50 a.m., Lawton Emergency Communications received a call that Centerpoint Energy was drilling a hole for a new post and struck a gas line just south of the visitor center next to Comanche Nation Casino on the east side of Interstate 44.

The gas line is reported to be a main line, and due to the incident, all traffic must be diverted from I-44 and Interstate Drive, according to police.

Police said traffic will be diverted from I-44 at both Gore Blvd. and Lee Blvd. exits, in both northbound and southbound directions. If drivers are continuing through Lawton on I-44, the recommended travel route would be east from I-44 to Flowermound Road and then either north or south to Gore or Lee and back to I-44.

Lawton Police, as well as the Oklahoma Highway Patrol, are helping to divert the traffic and keep traffic flowing as well as possible.

The Interstate will be shut down, according to utility workers at the scene, for about six hours at last notification, which would be approximately 7 to 7:30 p.m.